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$I wanted to echo John Gilger's comments:
$$20/hr brings in about $2700/month after taxes and cheapest insurance. I
$have worked in Silicon Valley for eleven years. I have a $2000/month
$mortgage for a smallish house with a 60 mile commute (this is normal for
$this area). Since gas and electricity are furnished by PG&E, these run in
$the neighborhood of $200/month. Gas for my commute costs at least
$$100/month, etc. If you own a house in most regions of California where
$there is work, $20/hr will not allow you to keep that house. Sadly, $20 to
$$40/hr is now the going rate for most Tech Writing contracts here. The
$solution, of course, is to be a dual-income family with roughly
$1500/month
$in childcare expenses.

Thanks for giving me another handful of reasons to count my blessings.

My modest one-bedroom apartment is setting me back the equivalent of about
$400US per month. Water, heat and electricity are included in the rent.

I live a twenty-five minute walk from work.

And as long as I don't really screw up, it looks like I can work where I am
for the forseeable future.

Sure, the work isn't exactly technical writing, but the bills are paid, I
can put a bit of money aside every month, and since this is the second time
I have worked for this unit in this department in this organization, it
gives me a wonderful, built-in reference on my resume next time I am hunting
for work.

--
John Fleming
Technical Writer and SAS Programmer
Edmonton, Canada

Please respond to the group. My address is set to reject e-mail from senders
not in my address book.

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